Welcome to the WBHL Blog

This is where I put everything I wish every couple knew before they started planning. Pulled from 200+ weddings and counting. Browse by topic, or scroll until something grabs you.

let me be real

Starline Factory | Harvard, IL

Chase + Larissa

Photography

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Union Event Space | May 22, 2026

Lawrence + Jocelyne

WBHL Couples

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Kerri and Jeff pose in the vineyards during their wedding at DC Estate Winery in South Beloit, IL

Y’all. DC Estate Winery is one of those venues that makes you stop scrolling. The vineyard. The stone arch. The pond. It’s got this gorgeous, Tuscan-meets-Midwest vibe that photographs like an absolute dream. And if you’re considering it for your wedding photos, I totally understand why. But here’s the deal. As a Midwest wedding photographer, […]

Weddings at DC Estate Winery

Photography

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DC Estate Winery | June 21, 2025

Jeff + Kerri

WBHL Couples

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bride gets wedding hair done

Chicago, IL | April 18, 2026

Ben + Linnea

WBHL Couples

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Wedding ceremony in December

Date choice quietly drives pricing. Understand it, and more budget goes to the things you actually love.

Date Affects Budget in a Huge Way

Planning Advice

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Wedding couple take photos with guests at The Standard in Rockford, IL

Your date affects dozens — sometimes hundreds — of other people. Plan with that in mind.

Choose Date With Guests in Mind

Planning Advice

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Barn wedding weather can be warm with high heat

Guests fanning themselves with ceremony programs is adorable in photos and miserable in person. Let’s avoid that.

Feeling the Love Not the Heat

Planning Advice

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Wedding couple walk down lane in Oregon, IL

Choosing a date isn’t really about the date. It’s about the venue — and what it tells you next.

A Date To Make the Heart and Budget Happy

Planning Advice

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Everything I'd tell a couple over coffee, in one guide. Vendor questions, budget realities, traditions worth keeping (and a few worth skipping). 16 years of watching weddings happen, on paper. Inquire about your date and I'll send it free.

Wedding Planning Advice Guide

Better than Free Tacos!